These are the questions most frequently asked about the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives program. If you don't find the answer to your question here, just ask one of our Faith-Based & Community liaisons.

Q: Is there a separate source of funds for faith based and community initiatives?

A: There is no separate pot of money for the Faith-Based and Community Initiative. The key to the initiative is to provide ACCESS for faith-based and community groups to apply for federal grants or grants from entitlement communities.

Q: If there is no new source of funds, how is a Faith-based or Community group supposed to get in the game?

A: The thrust of the program is to "level the playing field" so that all non-profit groups, including faith-based groups, are treated equitably and fairly. HUD has recently changed its regulations for eight programs in our Office of Community Planning and Development to accommodate this goal. It is important to understand that faith-based and community groups are "competing" for federal or local grants, and must have the know-how and the capacity to deliver the services or product for which the funding is intended.

Q. Do Faith-Based and Community groups get a preference when competing for grants?

A: No. The idea is to make federal grants "faith-friendly", but not to give a preference to faith-based groups.

Q: Which Federal agencies are participating in this initiative?

A: The participants in the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiative include the original five agencies: Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, and Justice. In December 2002 President Bush added two more federal agencies: Agriculture, and the Agency for International Development; in June 2004, he added the Department of Commerce, the Small Business Adminstration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and in March 2006, the President added the Department of Homeland Security.

Q: Where can I find information on all Federal Grants?

A: You can find all federal grants in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. Grant opportunties available from the majority of the Federal Departments are also posted on www.grants.gov. Faith-Based and Community groups are welcome to apply for any federal grants if they meet the prescribed guidelines.

Q: Is there anyone I can talk to about these programs?

A: Absolutely. HUD has Faith-Based & Community liaisons in 3 HUD offices in the region. They are your first point of contact. They will connect folks with the right person within HUD, the HUD entitlement grantee communities and throughout their local networks. The names of these individuals are included in HUD's Toolkit for Faith-Based and Community Organizations.